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Institute’s new headquarters is almost ready

New headquarters of the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn is nearing completion. The end of works is scheduled for October this year. The facility will gather all the Institute’s units, which today are scattered in four locations in two cities. Another advantage of the new location is its proximity to the science and technology park.

– Finally, we will all be together in one place. This will improve cooperation between scientists, increase the potential of our centre and create optimal conditions for innovative research. It is also an opportunity to integrate all employees – daily meetings strengthen the sense of community. Synergy, synergy and more synergy – underlines the Director General of IARFR PAS in Olsztyn, Prof. Mariusz Piskuła.

The director adds that a single headquarters also means simpler management of the Institute and puts an end to logistical problems (e.g., the need for constant transportation of documents and reagents or „wandering” of employees between locations). – In addition, we will reduce the Institute’s maintenance costs, since the maintenance of a single building made with the latest energy-efficient technologies will be cheaper than the current total cost of maintaining all workplaces – points out Prof. Piskuła.

The location in the neighbourhood of the Olsztyn Science and Technology Park is not accidental. – The current trend in the global science puts a spotlight on the usefulness of science and the translation of research results directly to the benefit of people and the quality of their life. The new location is therefore an incredible opportunity for us to transfer science into practice and to develop research and implementation projects – adds Prof. Piskuła.

CURRENT WORKS

The works on the construction site on Władysław Tryliński St. in Olsztyn are in progress. – So far, we are implementing various stages without major problems. Currently, we are carrying out activities related to all internal installations, also the elevation work is underway, and activities on the landscaping are slowly beginning. The work at the Animal Laboratory is progressing faster, as this place – designed and built to the highest world standards – will be finished earlier due to complicated inspection procedures – says Deputy Director for General Affairs Michał Żurek.

The building has six floors (including one technical floor), with a total area of more than 10,000 square meters. Inside there will be laboratories, rooms for specialized analytical work, seminar rooms, a Scientific Council room, and administrative and technical facilities. Larger events will be held in the halls of the Olsztyn Science and Technology Park. A relaxation area is also planned.

Thanks to the BMS (Building Management System), the Institute’s new building will be largely automated. – Also noteworthy is the new conference room, which will be equipped with a state-of-the-art audiovisual system, allowing for hybrid meetings and online connection with guests or speakers –  points out Michał Żurek.

The investment also includes access roads, parking lots, a covered shelter for bicycles and landscaping. A photovoltaic installation will be built next to the building.

BEFORE THE FINAL MOVE

The construction is scheduled for completion in October this year. Then the moving will begin, which will take several months due to the need to properly transport highly specialized equipment and adapt the laboratories. It’s also an extensive planning effort and the actual transport of animals from the Animal Lab.

The Institute plans to vacate its current locations by August 2024, and the current buildings will be put up for sale.

NEW HEADQUARTERS – HOW IT ALL STARTED

Currently, IARFR PAS in Olsztyn is spread out, with its divisions and departments located in four locations, in two cities. The Division of Food Sciences is located in Olsztyn on Tuwima Street, the Division of Reproductive Biology is located on Bydgoska Street in Olsztyn. In Białystok, we have a department dealing with the prophylaxis of metabolic diseases and the department for human reproductive pathology, located in the Science and Technology Park and the Medical University, respecively.

Plans to build a new headquarters for the PAS Institute date back to 2011. In 2013, the Institute signed a letter of intent with the city – the operator of the Olsztyn Science and Technology Park – about its desire to locate a scientific facility there. In 2015, the Institute bought a 2.2-hectacre parcel in the immediate vicinity of the Park, where a new headquarters is being built. Construction began in December 2021.

– Throughout the history of the implementation of this investment, we have received tremendous support from the authorities of Olsztyn, the local government of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, the Ministry of Science and Education and politicians from our region. Our project is a very good example of successful cooperation for a common goal – emphasizes Prof. Mariusz Piskuła.

The headquarters is being built under the design-build formula, which means that the contractor, Budimex company, has prepared the project and is implementing it on the basis of the functional-utility program developed by the Institute.

The entire project is an investment planned for more than PLN 95 million. The war in Ukraine and price skyrocketing have escalated its cost by more than PLN 10 million. Funding of more than PLN 79 million comes from EU funds – from the Regional Operational Program of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship for 2014-2020.

The construction of the Institute’s new headquarters is being carried out as part of the „Center for Environmental Research and Innovative Food Technologies for Quality of Life” project, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the Regional Operational Program of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship for 2014-2020.

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The results of the competition for Post-doctoral Researcher in an NCN project OPUS 15

Director of the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research in Olsztyn kindly informs that the competition for Post-doctoral Researcher in an NCN project OPUS 15 entitled „Biological study and mathematical modeling to describe and predict new processes controlling the development, function and atresia of ovarian follicles in cows” was won by dr Małgorzata Wieteska

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Human genes can’t keep up with adaptation to modern diet

The functioning of our body is the result of the evolution of Homo sapiens. Normally, the human genome adapts to changes in the environment many generations, or hundreds to thousands of years. However, it is only during the last 50 years that human life, including diet, has changed so radically that the general population has not yet had time to adapt and cope with lifestyle-related disease problems, such as overweight and obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.

– However, our future is in our hands – epigenetics mostly depends on what good (or bad) things we do for our organism. The occurrence of these diseases is influenced by many environmental factors, including our diet, so as long as we take care of our health, we can minimize the risk,” highlights Prof. Carsten Carlberg, leader of the nutrigenomics research group at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn.

An article on nutrigenomics in the context of evolution has just been published in the journal ‘Redox Biology’.

DIET AFFECTS THE HUMAN BODY MORE THAN YOU THINK

Nutrition is an essential part of life, as it consists of molecules that satisfy our body’s need for macro- and micronutrients. Moreover, some of these molecules directly communicate with the human genome (genetic material) and epigenome (a set of chemical modifications to DNA that regulate genome functions). This complex relationship is the essence of nutrigenomics.

Daily communication between diet and the (epi)genome modulates gene expression in metabolic organs such as fat tissue, skeletal muscle, liver and pancreas, as well as in the brain and immune system. The cellular and molecular biology behind these gene regulatory processes maintains the homeostasis of the human body, which prevents the development of non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

– Since the origin of Homo sapiens, most of these pathways of communication: nutrients-genes have not changed. However, our genome has experienced a series of evolutionary pressures caused by environmental changes including the transition from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to an agricultural one. Human populations have responded to these challenges not only through specific anthropometric adaptations such as skin colour and body height, but also through variation in dietary intake and differential resistance to complex diseases such as cancer and immune disorders. Therefore, insights into the variability of our (epi)genome in the context of individual risk of developing complex diseases help us understand the evolutionary basis of how and why we get sick – says Prof. Carsten Carlberg.

HUMAN LIFESTYLES ARE CHANGING TOO FAST

The adaptation rate of the human genome to environmental changes usually takes many generations, or hundreds to thousands of years. – However, only during the last two generations, or even about 50 years, human lifestyles including eating habits have changed so rapidly and radically that most of us are not (epi)genetically prepared for the challenges of a „Western” diet combined with a sedentary lifestyle. Indeed, the current facts are that up to 90% of us will end up living with lifestyle-related diseases, such as metabolic syndrome (e.g. overweight and obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure) – points out Prof. Carsten Carlberg.

The (epi)genome has not kept up with adaptation to the modern diet. For example, humans have been eating low-salt products for most of time. – As a result, our body has developed an efficient system for absorbing this salt from our diet, which was essential in ancient times, but creates many problems today. Today’s diet contains a lot of salt – excess salt causes high blood pressure, which kills 10 million people worldwide each year. However, Prof. Carlberg encourages us not to remain passive in the face of these challenges. – We should not accept this as our fate that cannot be reversed, but rather work to ensure that we do not contract these preventable diseases.

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Dr. Agnieszka Mostek-Majewska’s research on protein modifications for improving cattle breeding

The research on protein modifications carried out by Dr. Agnieszka Mostek-Majewska and co-authors has enabled a better understanding of capacitation and the disruption of this process in the semen of livestock, including the bull.

Mammalian sperm, immediately after ejaculation, are not capable of fertilizing an egg. For fertilization to occur, the sperm must undergo a series of biochemical modifications in the female’s oviduct to make it capable of fusing with the egg cell. This process is called capacitation.

Disorders of the process of sperm „conditioning” are one of the most common causes of idiopathic male infertility, unrelated to sperm motility and morphology. For this reason, capacitation rates are increasingly being studied in the diagnosis of infertility, in addition to standard analyses of sperm motility and morphology.

It is known that capacitation disorders can also occur in livestock, but there are few studies describing this problem. However, it is of importance for breeding progress.

The research conducted by Dr. Agnieszka Mostek-Majewska and co-authors on protein modifications has provided a better understanding of capacitation and disorders of this process in livestock spermatozoa. This, in turn, gives hope for the development of effective methods of detecting fertility abnormalities and improvements of cattle breeding. The article “New insights into posttranslational modifications of proteins during bull sperm capacitation” have been recently published in Cell Communication and Signaling. Go to the paper.

Watch the video:

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A step towards a 'vaccine’ for egg allergy

Lymphocytes are white blood cells that regulate the immune system. If they have some „experience”, e.g. with an allergenic protein and get transplanted into another organism, then such a transfer will strengthen the immune reaction and the body will start to defend itself better against this protein.

Such an experiment was conducted by scientists from our Institute. They showed that transplanted CD4+ T cells that were in contact with hen’s egg white enhanced the immune response to it. The results were published in the International Journal of Molecular Science.

– The results of our research may be a step towards developing methods of treating patients with allergies – emphasizes the author of the research, Dr. Dagmara Złotkowska from the Department of Immunology and Food Microbiology IAR&FR PAS in Olsztyn.

HOW ALLERGIES HAPPEN

A food allergy is an abnormal reaction of the body’s immune system to a specific compound, which is an allergen. So it is a type of food hypersensitivity that causes unwanted food reactions, involving the immune system.

In the fight against food allergies, T lymphocytes, i.e. white blood cells, play an important role in regulating the immune system response. – This is a group of cells specializing in defending our body against the undesirable effects of potential allergens – explains Dr. Dagmara Złotkowska.

If we „teached” cells how to recognize and neutralize specific allergenic proteins, these „teachers” could be transferred (e.g. in the form of vaccines) to the body of allergy sufferers to minimize its immune response. – This can be compared to the mechanism of the mRNA vaccine against COVID-19, where – to put it simply – we do not provide the cells with a virus, but with a „set of instructions” on how to produce antibodies – the researcher points out.

EXPERIMENTAL TRANSFER

The team from the Department of Immunology and Food Microbiology of IAR&FR PAS in Olsztyn focused on allergy to hen’s egg protein and the possibility of cross-reactivity with chicken meat proteins. This meat is a common component of the modern diet; allergy to them is relatively rare and occurs independently or in people allergic to egg white (OVA, or ovalbumin, is the main protein found in egg white). CD4+ T cells, on the other hand, are special immune cells that recognize allergens, including the OVA protein.

The experiment involved transplanting experienced (those that had already been in contact with OVA) CD4+ T cells into the body of an animal that was allergic to OVA and fed chicken meat. – It turned out that such a transfer helped to improve the negative immune response to OVA, that is, it strengthened the body’s immune response to the OVA protein, which was previously not recognized and fought off by the immune system. To put it simple, the body began to defend itself better against this protein – indicates Dr. Dagmara Złotkowska.

A CURE FOR FOOD ALLERGY?

The approach of the researchers from Olsztyn is innovative and may contribute to the development of treatment methods for patients with allergies. – So far, the most effective way to treat food allergy is to exercise the elimination diet – which eliminates not only allergens, but also other cross-reacting proteins. I doubt whether we will find a „cure” for allergy in the near future, because many factors and mechanisms affecting it are still not known. The results of our research may, however, be a step towards developing methods of treating patients with allergies, e.g. by giving them „trained” groups of cells that could reduce the immune response to a given allergen. There are still many years of research ahead of us, but the direction seems promising – the researcher concludes.

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Food Tech/Nutrition/Biology PhD Students (2 positions) in OPUS 23 project

Food Tech/Nutrition/Biology PhD Students (2 positions) in OPUS 23 project: „Effect of intestinal microbiota modulation induced by the chicory inulin-type β-fructans on metabolic parameters and biomarkers of the gut-skin axis in chronic skin inflammation”

IF YOU ARE GRADUATING THIS YEAR, THIS OFFER IS FOR YOU!

Recruitment call for the OPUS 23 project entitled „Effect of intestinal microbiota modulation induced by the chicory inulin-type β-fructans on metabolic parameters and biomarkers of the gut-skin axis in chronic skin inflammation” led by dr hab. Urszula Krupa-Kozak at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn, Poland.

Project description:

This interdisciplinary project was designed for 4 year duration. During this period an 8-week nutritional intervention using a prebiotic vs. placebo will be conducted to analyze the supplement influence on the spectrum of parameters starting from the characteristic of intestinal microbiota, through metabolic parameters (oxidative stress parameters, VOCs) till the gut barrier functionality and inflammatory mediators. This study is a placebo-controlled RCT on patients with mild psoriasis as a model of chronic skin inflammation.

PhD student 1 will be involved in tasks related to the analysis of intestinal microbiota profile using 16S rRNA and advanced statistical methods, and analysis of metabolites related to microbiota activity (SCFA) using HPLC. In addition, PhD student will be involved in all other research tasks,  starting from the biological material collection (blood, urine, feces, skin), data collection, interpretation, and statistical analysis, and manuscript writing.

PhD student 2 will be involved in tasks related to the determination of the whole gut barrier permeability assessment including the functional assay (multi-sugars absorption test) and the concentration of biomarkers of intestinal barrier functionality, in addition, will be involved in all other research tasks, starting from the biological material collection (blood, urine, feces, skin), data collection, interpretation and statistical analysis, manuscripts preparation.

Application deadline:

  • June 30th, 2023 (23:59:59 Warsaw)

How to apply:

  • Send your documentation (listed in eligibility criteria section) to: u.krupa-kozak@pan.olsztyn.pl within the deadline (sooner the better).
  • Please include „PhD application” in message titile.

Position opening date:

  • Position will be open since October 1, 2023.

Requirements for the candidates:

  • Higher (second degree) education in the field of biological sciences (biotechnology, biology) or related;
  • Knowledge of biochemistry, microbiology, gut characteristics, physiology, and human nutrition;
  • Knowledge of modern analytical techniques (chromatographic methods; ELISA, mass spectrometry);
  • Good knowledge of English in speech and writing;
  • Practical experience in laboratory work and basic molecular biology techniques;
  • Good knowledge of the bioinformatic tools;
  • Ability to write scientific and/or popular science papers and present results;
  • Availability, motivation for scientific work, good organization of work;
  • Previous participation in the research projects and scientific manuscript writing will be an additional advantage;
  • Highly appreciated scientific enthusiasm!

IF YOU DON’T HAVE YOUR MASTER DIPLOMA YET, BUT YOU ARE SET FOR GRADUATION IN 2023, PLEASE DO APPLY

Conditions of employment:

  • Maximum duration of the scholarship: 48 months;
  • The amount of the doctoral scholarship: PLN 5000 gross per month;
  • The selected candidates must become a participant in the Interdisciplinary Doctoral School of Agricultural Sciences co-run by IRZBŻ PAS in Olsztyn;
  • PhD will be realized in the IAR&FR, PAS in cooperation with the Dermatology Clinic of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn and the Faculty of Human Nutrition of Warsaw University of Life Sciences;
  • We offer full support in assimilation process (help in settlement and living in Poland).

Eligibility criteria:

  1. Complete application documentation:
  • CV containing:
    • education path,
    • details of the Master’s thesis (title, supervision, date of obtaining/date of defense planned),
    • scientific achievements, including scientific publications (if any), trainings, conferences, chapters, articles etc.,
    • competences to perform tasks planned in the project (mainly laboratory skills).
  • Cover letter,
  • Recommendation letter (preferably by Master’s thesis supervisor / mentor / project manager);
  1. Master’s degree (or planned graduation for 2023);
  2. Applying before the deadline;
  3. Consent to the processing of personal data.

In your CV or e-mail message, please include a clause of consent to the processing of personal data by us in the recruitment process:

„I consent to the processing of my personal data contained in the application documents by the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn with its registered office at 10-748 Olsztyn ul. Tuwima 10, in order to carry out the recruitment process (in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and repealing Directive 95/46/EC).

Selection process:

  1. Selected candidates will be invited to an on-line interview, to present themselves; candidates will be asked to prepare a presentation regarding their Master thesis and practical methods they were using along the process.
  2. Candidates evaluated with the highest score will be invited to the 2nd stage interview, which will take place face-to-face or online.
  3. During the interview, the candidate will be asked to deliver a 10-minute speech, presenting his/her own idea about the implementation of the project for which he/she is applying (based od the project concept).
  4. The 2nd stage interview will be considered as the recruitment interview to the Interdisciplinary Doctoral School at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn (admission to the doctoral school is a prerequisite for receiving a scholarship).
  5. Admissions to the doctoral school and the project will be announced on the doctoral school website.

Note: Candidates are entitled to a right of complaint within 14 days from the final results announcement. Complaints (with justification) should be addressed to the Institute’s HR Manager (j.papurzynska@pan.olsztyn.pl). HR Manager is obliged to respond the complaint within 14 working days. 

Data processing information

  1. The administrator of personal data processed as part of the recruitment process is the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn, 10-748 Olsztyn, ul. Tuwima 10, phone no. 89 523 46 86, e-mail: instytut@pan.olsztyn.pl.
  2. Contact with the personal data protection officer is possible at the above-mentioned address.
  3. The provided personal data will be processed in order to carry out the current recruitment process and kept until its completion on the basis of expressed consent (in accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) of the GDPR).
  4. You have the right to withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of the processing which was carried out on the basis of consent before its withdrawal.
  5. You have the right to access your personal data, request their rectification or removal. Submitting a request to delete data is tantamount to resignation from participation in the recruitment process. In addition, you have the right to request the restriction of processing in the cases specified in art. 18 GDPR.
  6. You have the right to lodge a complaint with the President of the Personal Data Protection Office against the unlawful processing of his personal data. This authority will be competent to consider the complaint, provided that the right to file a complaint concerns only the lawfulness of the processing of personal data, and not the recruitment process.
  7. Your data will not be profiled or made available to entities or third countries. The recipients of the data may be institutions authorized by law.
  8. Providing your personal data is not obligatory, but it is a necessary condition to participate in the recruitment process.

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Competition for the position of assistant professor in the Department of Bioelectroanalytics

Position: full-time associate professor

Headquarter: Department of Bioelectroanalytics

Expectations:

  • motivation for scientific work
  • communication skills and very good organization of work
  • ability to work in a team and independently

The candidate will participate in the following tasks:

  • conducting research related to the development of new analytical platforms and systems that are used in the construction of electrochemical (bio)sensors for food analysis and medical diagnostics

Candidate’s qualifications and experience:

  • PhD degree in the discipline of chemical or biological sciences or related sciences
  • knowledge of electroanalytical methods of analysis, in particular voltammetric methods
  • knowledge and experience in the construction of (bio)electrochemical sensors
  • documented scientific achievements

Additional skills:

  • good knowledge of English in speaking and writing
  • the ability to prepare reports and present the results of scientific work
  • completed scientific internship

Working conditions:

  • work on working days, with the possibility of task work in the case of specific experiments

Perspectives:

  • work in a team focused on innovative projects
  • the opportunity to acquire new competences and raise qualifications
  • participation in activities aimed at popularizing science

Required documents:

  • copy of university diploma,
  • CV,
  • cover letter,
  • references (not obligatory).

The documents should be sent by e-mail to Mrs. Joanna Papurzyńska (Human Resources Specialist): j.papurzynska@pan.olsztyn.pl

or by the post to the following address:

Mrs. Joanna Papurzyńska
Human Resources Specialist
Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research Polish Academy of Sciences
Tuwima Street 10
10-748 OLSZTYN

The deadline for sending the documents is September 15, 2023, at 12 a.m.

In your CV, please include a consent clause for the processing of personal data in the recruitment process:

„I consent to the processing of my personal data contained in the application documents by the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn, 10-748 Olsztyn, ul. Tuwima 10, in order to carry out the recruitment process and publishing the full results of the competition on the Institute’s website.”

Information clause:

  1. The administrator of personal data processed as part of the recruitment process is the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn, 10-748 Olsztyn, ul. Tuwima 10, phone no. 89 523 46 86, e-mail: instytut@pan.olsztyn.pl.
  2. Contact with the personal data protection officer is possible at the above-mentioned address.
  3. The provided personal data will be processed in order to carry out the current recruitment process and kept until its completion on the basis of expressed consent (in accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) of the GDPR).
  4. You have the right to withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of the processing which was carried out on the basis of consent before its withdrawal.
  5. You have the right to access your personal data, request their rectification or removal. Submitting a request to delete data is tantamount to resignation from participation in the recruitment process. In addition, you have the right to request the restriction of processing in the cases specified in art. 18 GDPR.
  6. You have the right to lodge a complaint with the President of the Personal Data Protection Office against the unlawful processing of his personal data. This authority will be competent to consider the complaint, provided that the right to file a complaint concerns only the lawfulness of the processing of personal data, and not the recruitment process.
  7. Your data will not be profiled or made available to entities or third countries. The recipients of the data may be institutions authorized by law.
  8. Providing your personal data is not obligatory, but it is a necessary condition to participate in the recruitment process.

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Summary of the report on the implementation of the Open Access Policy

The year 2022 was the time when the Institute met the global requirements for open access. During this time, a number of tasks were completed to implement the Open Access Policy and fulfill its provisions.

In addition to the aforementioned policy, a Research Data Management Policy has also been developed and implemented. Training for employees was conducted in the scope of both of these documents. A data management plan template has also been prepared, which is available to employees at this link (Research Management Guidance).

In 2022, the employees of the Institute published a total of 171 scientific and review articles, of which 113 were published in journals supporting open access. Thus, the number of papers published in open access accounted for 66.08% of all papers published with the affiliation of IARFR PAS.

In the same period, employees received 21 projects financed from external sources. 18 of them are funded by the National Science Center and have data management plans that regulate issues of open access to scientific publications and research data. 1 project is intended to financially support the Polish Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences, which is a journal supporting open access.

As part of implementing the provisions of the Policy, we managed to acquire and launch an IT infrastructure that increases the security of stored data. Its use has been included in the research data management plan template used in the preparation of research project proposals.

We also managed to prepare a research data management plan in line with the requirements of Horizon 2020 for the project „Welcoming ERA Chair to Center of excellence in nutrigenomics for optimizing health and well-being in the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences”, which was one of the project implementation indicators. This information is a summary of the report on the implementation of the Open Access Policy at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn in 2022.

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Food Tech/Nutrition PhD Student (1 spot) in NCN Preludium BIS

IF YOU ARE GRADUATING THIS YEAR, THIS OFFER IS FOR YOU!

Recruitment call for the NCN Preludium BIS 3 project entitled „Immunomodulatory properties of a pre-fermented whey drink enriched with chokeberry juice and colostrum” led by prof. dr hab. Barbara Wroblewska at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn, Poland.

Project description:

The PhD Student will carry out a tasks aimed at examining the effects of bioactive whey and colostrum proteins and chokeberry juice polyphenols, The first stage of the project will include determining the proportions/quantitative selection of raw materials in the mixture and determining the optimal conditions for pre-fermentation. In the next stages, simulated gastrointestinal digestion of individual components and their pre-fermented mixture will be carried out, as well as an analysis of the biological activity of the obtained hydrolysates using a model of human intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2, cancer cells and HIEC-6, healthy cells). Epithelial cells will be cultured under standard conditions and in a state of induced inflammatory reaction (in the presence of bacterial lipopolysaccharide, LPS). The determined parameters of the immune response of epithelial cells (cell proliferation, the level of markers of the immune reaction: expression of cytokines and the level of interleukins of the pro- and anti-inflammatory pathway) will allow to unambiguously determine the immunoregulatory potential of the components and their pre-fermented mixture.

The implementation of the project will include: ongoing analysis of scientific literature, planning and performing experiments as well as laboratory and statistical analyses, interpretation of the results obtained, drawing conclusions, as well as preparing and presenting research results at scientific conferences, as well as writing scientific publications on the conducted research. Participation in the project will end with the defense of a doctoral thesis at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

Application deadline:

  • 31st May 2023 (23:59:59 Warsaw)

How to apply:

  • Send your documentation (listed in eligibility criteria section) to: b.wroblewska@pan.olsztyn.pl within the deadline (sooner the better),
  • Please include „PhD application” in message titile.

Position opening date:

  • Position is open and can be taken between July and October 2023.

Requirements for the candidate:

  • Higher (second degree) education in the field of agricultural sciences in the discipline of food and nutrition technology or biological (biotechnology, biology), or related,
  • Knowledge of food technology and/or cell biology,
  • Good knowledge of English in speech and writing,
  • Practical knowledge of analytics in the field of microbiological research (lactic fermentation, bacteria microscopy), in vitro digestion and cell culture, knowledge of molecular biology techniques (eg RT-PCR, qPCR, Western blot, flow cytometry) and statistical analysis,
  • Ability to write scientific and/or popular science papers and present results,
  • Availability, motivation for scientific work, good organization of work,
  • Highly appreciated scientific enthusiasm!

Additional advantages will be:

  • Knowledge of in silico analysis,
  • Bioinformatics skills.

We offer full support in assimilation process (help in settlement and living in Poland).

IF YOU DON’T HAVE YOUR MASTER DIPLOMA YET, BUT YOU ARE SET FOR GRADUATION IN 2023, PLEASE DO APPLY

Conditions of employment:

  • Maximum duration of the scholarship: 48 months,
  • The amount of the doctoral scholarship: PLN 4276 gross (approximately PLN 3800 net) per month, after two years the amount of the scholarship will be increased in accordance with the regulations of the Preludium Bis3 project,
  • The selected candidate must become a participant in the Interdisciplinary Doctoral School of Agricultural Sciences co-run by IRZBŻ PAS in Olsztyn,
  • Implementation of a six-month scientific internship in a foreign research center.

Eligibility criteria:

  1. Complete application documentation:
  • CV containing:
    • education path,
    • details of the Master’s thesis (title, supervision, date of obtaining/date of defense planned),
    • scientific achievements, including scientific publications (if any), trainings, conferences, chapters, articles etc.,
    • competences to perform tasks planned in the project (mainly laboratory skills).
  • Cover letter,
  • Recommendation letter (preferably by Master’s thesis supervisor / mentor / project manager;
  1. Master’s degree (or planned graduation for 2023);
  2. Applying before the deadline;
  3. Consent to the processing of personal data.

In your CV or e-mail message, please include a clause of consent to the processing of personal data by us in the recruitment process:

„I consent to the processing of my personal data contained in the application documents by the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn with its registered office at 10-748 Olsztyn ul. Tuwima 10, in order to carry out the recruitment process (in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and repealing Directive 95/46/EC).

Selection process:

  1. Selected candidates will be invited to short on-line interview, to present themselves;
  2. Candidates evaluated with the highest score will be invited to an actual interview, which will take place face-to-face or online;
  3. During the interview, the candidate will be asked to deliver a 10-minute speech. presenting his/her own idea about the implementation of the project for which he/she is applying;
  4. The recruitment results will be announced within two weeks from the last interview via e-mail;
  5. Candidates selected in the course of recruitment will be asked to apply to the Interdisciplinary Doctoral School at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn – admission to the doctoral school is a prerequisite for receiving a scholarship;
  6. Admissions to the doctoral school will be announced on the doctoral school website.

Note: Candidates are entitled to a right of complaint within 14 days from the final results announcement. Complaints (with justification) should be addressed to the Institute’s HR Manager (j.papurzynska@pan.olsztyn.pl). HR Manager is obliged to respond the complaint within 14 working days.

Data processing information

  1. Information clause:
  2. The administrator of personal data processed as part of the recruitment process is the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn, 10-748 Olsztyn, ul. Tuwima 10, phone no. 89 523 46 86, e-mail: instytut@pan.olsztyn.pl.
  3. Contact with the personal data protection officer is possible at the above-mentioned address.
  4. The provided personal data will be processed in order to carry out the current recruitment process and kept until its completion on the basis of expressed consent (in accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) of the GDPR).
  5. You have the right to withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of the processing which was carried out on the basis of consent before its withdrawal.
  6. You have the right to access your personal data, request their rectification or removal. Submitting a request to delete data is tantamount to resignation from participation in the recruitment process. In addition, you have the right to request the restriction of processing in the cases specified in art. 18 GDPR.
  7. You have the right to lodge a complaint with the President of the Personal Data Protection Office against the unlawful processing of his personal data. This authority will be competent to consider the complaint, provided that the right to file a complaint concerns only the lawfulness of the processing of personal data, and not the recruitment process.
  8. Your data will not be profiled or made available to entities or third countries. The recipients of the data may be institutions authorized by law.
  9. Providing your personal data is not obligatory, but it is a necessary condition to participate in the recruitment process.

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Dr. Magdalena Weidner-Glunde and PhD student Mamata Savanagouder featured as experts in the documentary series „Virus Hunting”

„They are mistakenly seen as a companion only to the cold months (…) Some cause harmless infections, others are a deadly threat,” these words begin the documentary series „Virus Hunting”, which takes a closer look at the achievements of scientists working on the front lines of the fight against viral diseases. The first episode of the series featured Dr. Magdalena Weidner-Glunde, head of the Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Virology at our Institute, and Mamata Savanagouder, a PhD student in her team.

Dr. Weidner-Glunde explains what the virus is and why cytomegalovirus research is being conducted at the Institute.

The virus is the kind of package that is supposed to reach the cell and allow the virus to multiply there. This package on the outside has a protein envelope, the so-called capsid, which protects the genome inside. Once inside the cell, this genome is released and allows the virus to replicate, multiply and create new viral particles. – Dr. Weidner-Glunde explains in the episode.

Cytomegalovirus in most cases in healthy people does not cause major problems or strong symptoms, possibly mild cold symptoms. It becomes a problem if the infection occurs in a pregnant woman, because the most common result is partial or total hearing loss in the fetus, later in the newborn. In addition, the problem is that in many cases children are born healthy and only lose their hearing after some time. – she adds.

We encourage you to watch the first episode of the series „Virus Hunting”.

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